The Congregational Church in England and Wales decided earlier this year to celebrate 500 years since William Tyndale translated the New Testament into English by walking 500 miles around the country. There are 10 areas in the Congregational Church [like our Synods] and each one committed to walking 50 miles. A local Minister arranged walks in Suffolk and Essex over four days at the end of July. I agreed to take part on the final day and we walked from

Jaywick, near Clacton to Point Clear, then over on the small ferry to Brightlingsea and on to Wivenhoe where we had a short open air celebratory service. The distance for that day’s walk was 16 miles and the weather was hot!

As we went along we handed out a well produced booklet giving details about Tyndale’s life and work, the walks and the Congregational Church. We had a number of useful and interesting conversations with people we passed along the way.

Congregational members will get together for a remembrance of Tyndale and a celebration of the availability of God’s Word at the Tyndale monument in Gloucestershire in the autumn.

This was a good ecumenical exercise as we were all from different churches. I was the only one from the URC. We had to work together as a team especially as some folk were not the best at map reading!

A key Bible verse for the walks is found at Psalm 119 and verse 105. ”Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path”.

John White.

Christ Church URC, Clacton-on-Sea.